Improvement in galvanic batteries



G. L. LECLANCHE.

Electricv Battery.

Patented .lune 5, 1866.

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N. PETERS. Pnumimiaynphu. wns'mngam nc.

UNITED STATES PAIIn:1sIa"QEEIcEam GEORGE LIONEL LEoLANoHE, or PARIS, FRANCE.

IMPROVEMENT lN GALVANIC BATTERIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,441, dated June 5, 1866.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LIONEL LE- CLANCHE', engineer, of 13 Rue Gaillon, Paris, Empire of France, have invented certain Improvementsin Piles for GeneratingElectricity; and I do hereby declare that the followin g,taken in connection with the drawing which accompanies and forms part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to euable those skilled in the art to practice it.

Piles composed of two liquids in which the constancy ofthe current is obtained by means of the decomposition of a soluble salt of copper have two serious disadvantages rst, the evaporation of the liquids, and, secondly, the permanent mixture of the two liquids, of whatever nature the porous diaphragm maybe. The principal results of these two facts are, tirst, the necessity of renewing the evaporated liquids; secondly, a considerable waste of salt ofcoppi-r; thirdly, a short duration ofthe pile; and, fourthly, a sensible weakening of the current.

By substituting for the soluble salts ot' copper insoluble or slightly soluble salts of copper I obtain the following advantages: facil.- ityin closing and sealin g hermeticall y the piles; a duration at least double that ot' the piles hitherto used; avoidance of the necessity of snperintendence; total absence of all internal chemical action when the pile is not at work; and I have found that the salt of copper, insoluble or slightly soluble, which has given me the best results is carbonate of copper.

I have also found in practice the following arrangement of parts to 4be the Inostpreferable: I place in the bottom of a bottle or jar having a large mouth a plate of copper or any other metal, or even any other suitable substancesuch as, for instance, graphite, or any other carbon good conductor of electricity, to which I attach a wirc,to be used as one ofthe poles.

I cover this plate with carbonate of copper :reduced into a powder, and I then fill the bottle or jar nearly up to its mouth with sand or pulverized sandstone, iu the middle ot' which I place the zinc bearing a copper wire, to be used as the negative pole. I then meisten the whole with a liquid containing` a salt in solution capable, by its decomposition, of renderin g Ais the bottle orjar; B, the plate of copper or other suitable electro-conductor; C, the carbonate of' copper reduced into a powder; D, the wire attached to the plate and to be used as one of the poles. E is the zinc; F, the sand or pulverized sandstone; G, the copper wire attached to the zinc and used as the negative pole; H, t-he cork or bung, and I sealing-wax.

Nota Bene. The whole (sand and carbonate of copper) is moistened with water containing chlorohydrate of ammonia.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and the best means that I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practice, I claim- The use, in electrical piles, of insoluble or slightly soluble salts of copper or other equiv alent material moistened with a liquid containing a salt in solution, capable by its decomposition of rendern g the said salts of copper or other equivalent material soluble, substantially as described.

G. LECLANGHE, Witnesses:

EDWARD TURK, A. H. BRANDON. 

